Differentiation

What are the main challenges for teachers wishing to use it in their classroom? Peter Westwood, author of What Teachers Need to Know About Differentiated Instruction discusses in this Q&A. Can you explain to us what differentiated instruction is? Differentiated instruction is not really a new concept; it has been with us for a very long time in the guise of ‘mixed-ability teaching’. It is really about taking account of significant differences among students in terms of their ability (or disability), rate of learning, language proficiency, literacy and numeracy skills ― and then using this knowledge to adapt the way the curriculum and learning activities are presented.

Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age. Differentiated Instruction. Differentiated Instructional Strategies - Differentiated Strategies for Assessment. Defining Differentiated Instruction. Updated 01/2014 When I lesson plan with teachers, out of earshot from their fellow teachers and their principals, I can't tell you how often I'm asked, "what exactly does it look like?

" when it comes to differentiated instruction. In the education world, differentiated instruction is talked a lot about as a policy or as a solution, but rarely do educators get opportunities to roll up their sleeves and talk about what it looks like in practice. The definition begins with this: Equal education is not all students getting the same, but all students getting what they need. Approaching all learners the same academically doesn't work. Start with the Student If a child in your class is really struggling with reading, writing, organization, time management, social skills or all of the above, the first step is to find out as much as you can about her educational history and anything else.

By design, it is student-centered, student-driven, and gives space for teachers to meet the needs of students in a variety of ways.
A Starter Kit For Differentiated Instruction. [Note: Some links below are Amazon Affiliate links.

If you click these and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks!] You have probably come to this article for one of two reasons: Either you want to start differentiating instruction in your classroom and don’t know where to start, or you already differentiate, but want to see if you’re missing anything. I have combed through tons of online resources on how to differentiate instruction, and have put together this collection of the clearest, most high-quality resources for learning how to differentiate in your classroom. Off we go, then! Lots of teachers think they are differentiating, when they really kind of aren’t. .
, is the best one I’ve seen on the subject.
6 Good Tools to Differentiate Instruction » Opening Paths. I wrote for Edutopia a six-part series that’s spanned two months.

What a great experience it’s been to share ideas. The response by readers has been amazing.
Differentiated Instruction: Resource Roundup. Learning Menus. What Is Differentiated Instruction? Examples Of Strategies. Just as everyone has a unique fingerprint, each student has an individual style of learning.

ReadWriteThink. Personalized vs. differentiated vs. individualized learning. Khan Academy. Explainer: what is differentiation and why is it poorly understood?
Differentiation is a long word that sounds complicated but it just means teachers plan for the children who are actually in their class, instead of designing lessons for their idea of the “average” child.

It is the means by which schools fulfil their legal obligations to provide a quality education to all students. This includes Indigenous students, students from other language backgrounds, gifted students or those with disability. Why do we need to differentiate? Children and teaching are both complex. Student diversity demands a more sophisticated approach to teaching, so that all children can achieve to the best of their potential. The old approach to teaching is where teachers plan their lessons using a single method with contingency options, such as learning support, teacher aide time or after-hours tutoring, for the children who – for whatever reason – don’t happen to “get it” the first time.

On-the-Spot Scaffolding for Students. Scrambling in the moment to figure out what students need when they just don't get it is one of the exciting challenges of teaching.

Being able to respond to learners' needs on the spot is hands down one of the greatest tricks of this trade. And when lesson planning, we can't always guess how many steps we will need to break a lesson into and how much support will be needed for each chunk. I know I've made assumptions about what students will "get" and then in the middle of the lesson, I've had to stop, think on my feet, and add something to help move the learning forward.
Differentiation. 17 Ways to Meet Individual Learning Needs in the Math Classroom. Resources >> Browse Articles >> Utilizing Technology Featured Author: Mrs.